Great Insight Into The Workings of a Different Culture

While reading Things fall apart I went through a gauntlet of emotions; intrigue, surprise, sadness and pity among them. I was intrigued and surprised at some of the customs and the actions of these people. The main character, Okwonko, elicits sadness and pity when one sees what becomes of this once great warrior and statesman. I would recommend this book to high school students in the same way it was introduced to me. That was the right time (grade 10 / 4th form) because if we were any younger we probably wouldn't understand fully what we were reading and any later and most of us would be out of school with very few having time to read such a book. Some would be having to deal with the working world and others having to deal with more serious studies. This is a book I read some 20 odd years ago so naturally I won't recall every detail. In fact the only thing I remember is the title. Just kidding. The characters in the story were well developed. it was like I was living in the village with these people and knew them all personally. Whoever made the decision for this book to be included on our thing for exams I thank them. I don't think I would have otherwise gotten a chance to get such an intimate peep at the african culture. truly interesting stuff. Thanks to books like these my teachers had a field day (or field years) with me. i had to know them all; metaphors, alliteration, similie, irony and every other one. I especially loved personification. I guess the writer's main message was that change is inevitable and we have to adapt or face the consquences. It is difficult to really contrast this book with others because every writer is different and bring their own special flavour to their work. That to me is like comparing Usain Bolt to Tiger Woods and Danica Patrick. All athletes but.......... If a movie has been made about this book I haven't seen it. The author, Chinuaba Achebe did a wonderful job. Having read this book I tried to acquire other ones he had written. There was no question in this reader's mind as to the authenticity of what was being imparted by Chinua Achebe. His name alone was enough to convince me. I've since met an african gentleman ( I use that word loosely) who informed me that back in africa they have 17 different types of yam. Incredible.

I was assigned to read this novel for 2 different college courses--first for an English class and then for an African studies class. This speaks to both its literary importance and its accuracy in representing the experience of African history and culture. Both times that I read the novel, I found it to be simple and clean in its storytelling, while slowly revealing a deeper level of meaning. It is the type of book that lingers on your mind. Even now, so many years after college, it is front … more